Beyond the Barricade
by RebeccaK6504
Summary: Enjolras and Eponine try to deny the feelings they have for each other but can the impending battle bring the two closer as they come to terms with their love? Takes place after 'Attack on Rue Plumet'  Enjolras/Eponine Not the best summary.


How stupid of her was it to go chasing after a boy like him, a boy who would never truly exchange the same feelings with her that she felt for him. The heartfelt words that Marius had spoken to that love of his were never to be said to her, would never be said to her, no matter how much she hoped and wished of it. Every word that he had said was a dagger in her, there had been nobody, there was nobody like him but even given that, if he asked, she'd be his in an instant. Oh, what good had Éponine done for herself by letting out that scream in the night, by scaring off her father and his gang as they were about to rob Cosette's home? She had done it to save Marius from trouble, maybe partly because she did not want to see a criminal act done to an honest man like Cosette's father, but Éponine regretted it all. Her actions had only seemed to fuel the student and the blonde's romance, still as long as Cosette's father was still unaware of it all. To Éponine, it was the worst good deed she had ever, for herself at least, but maybe it was all for the best.

"Why regret what could not be?"

Fresh tears sprung down to her thin cheeks, replacing the ones that had not long dried into her skin. They further stung her eyes and made her sight even more blurry than it had past been, it was making it near impossible to concentrate. She was losing grasp of her usual self, the tough, witty, strong-willed Éponine that everyone knew her to be. Stumbling over her own feet on the cobblestones, Éponine cursed at herself under her breath. Damn these tackety boots that she forced herself into wearing, they could be doing with a good scrub up or better yet to be thrown in the river and forgotten about all together but Éponine knew herself that it could be a long while before she could get her hands on a better pair. No! She wasn't going to let this happen to herself, she wasn't going to let herself become weak in the night because of some silly boy. For a start she wasn't in the slightest bit clumsy, not near enough to go tripping over her own feet. She was a strong man in a storm; Éponine intended to keep herself that way.

"Stop it 'Ponine!" She scolded herself.

Wiping away some of the wetness around her eyes with the dirty sleeve of her oversized coat, Éponine walked forward. She wasn't really sure where she was going now, she wasn't really sure that there was anywhere she could go right now. Éponine could not go home. Though, how rich it was of her to go calling it a home in the first place. It was merely an inn, an uncomfortable place, where she could rest her head upon a dirty mattress or otherwise be hassled by Montparnasse or another of the inappropriate, horrible old scoundrels that her father repeatedly done business with. Usually business that included her. Montparnasse. Éponine didn't love him as she did Marius. 'Parnasse she had grown up with, 'Parnasse had been the one to save 'Ponine from her father on numerous occasions, though he was only a year or two older than Éponine herself. She didn't exactly love him but there was no doubt that there was something between them, they shared things together. Though that was all before 'Parnasse had lost his innocence and become no better than the men in Thénardier's gang. He was darker now, more shadowed than his past self but with that maturity in their relationship had changed, partly for the better. But, no faster had 'Parnasse than Éponine in losing the little innocence that she had maintained.

No sooner had she started thinking she stopped, realising that she had become lost in the streets that she knew ever so well. Suddenly as Éponine again lost her focus, she walked into something hard, knocking herself to the cold, damp ground.

"You should watch where you are walking boy, maybe stop being so careless next time!" The man spat out at her. He thought she was a boy?

"My apologies Monsieur Enjolras" Éponine rasped in reply, attempting to pick up the few books that the youth had dropped to the ground. She quickly glanced up at him.

"Oh. 'Ponine it is you" Enjolras replied in a much softer tone, "Forgive me, I did not realise..."

Éponine immediately stopped him from speaking any longer, "Save your breath Monsieur. The fault was all mine for being as careless, though I am surprised that you remembered my name..."

"How could I forget in a hurry, I have witnessed you many a time listening intently to our talks of the rebellion, to that you seemed rather interested?"

"I have my opinions..."

Enjolras suppressed a smirk as he spoke again, "And how you run after Marius like a lovesick puppy "

"I shall do nothing of the sort now! Since you last saw me, I have seen Monsieur Marius in a completely different light!" She replied harshly, wiping away another tear with her sleeve and shoving the books that she had picked up back into his arms. She swiftly walked by him.

"'Ponine..." Enjolras tried to stop her, grabbing her arm with his free hand before she could go any further. Éponine turned back towards him but in this new light he saw exactly what had been wrong with her. Bringing her closer Enjolras spoke again, "'Ponine have you been crying? What's wrong?"

Her sore red eyes and puffy cheeks were accentuated as the moonlight struck off her face, unfortunately for her though, her badly bitten lips and knotted hair had also become more prominent.

"Nothing, I am fine now" Éponine lied badly, "I had a fall"

"Don't try and lie to me 'Ponine. Your cheeks are tear stained, you're shivering but hot to touch and as far as I can see you carry no injury" Enjolras replied, "I have seen you around here upset before..."

"What? So now you've been watching me?" She snapped but soon apologized for the outburst.

"Would you like to come to the cafe for a drink? You look as though you could use one"

The cafe? What if Marius had returned there since his visit to Cosette? She could not face him right now, not in the state she was in.

"Thank you for the kind offer Monsieur but I should have to decline"

"Are you sure?" Enjolras smiled though he was slightly disappointed with her previous answer, she nodded in reply. "Alright but we are still not finished talking, I want to know the rest of which you have keenly hid from me"

"I give my word"

"Know I already yearn for your return"


End file.
